of trivial things
by cergia
Summary: Months following Five's disappearance, lingering questions begin to arise for the siblings he left behind. Example one; what would Five's name be if he was still here?


"If Five was here, what would his name be?" Allison inquired curiously as she kicked her legs back and forth erratically underneath the dining table.

". . .He's not here." came a harsh answer, causing the young girl to frown and slam her foot into the latter's leg, emitting a loud hiss of pain.

"But if he _was_!" Klaus butted in and leaned over his cereal in an eager manner, planting his elbows on either side of his ceramic bowl as he eyed his siblings excitedly. "He wouldn't stay number Five _forever_~!"

After a few moments of an uncomfortable silence, Klaus fell back into his seat dejectedly and crossed his arms over his chest in a childlike manner. His brown eyes lingered on Allison's embarrassed form, clearly regretting ever saying anything in regards to their missing sibling, but the boy refused to let it go so easily.

"Come on!" He whined, pouting. "What would his name be? I think probably. . . _Sir James of the Royal Court_!" Amongst Klaus' exasperating giggles was Diego's noisy coughing as he choked on his milk and Luther's fist pounding against the boy's back in an irritated manner.

"He's not _here_." Diego repeated through gritted teeth, slapping Luther's hand away from him heatedly as he wiped his mouth. "And don't give him stupid names like that. It's dishonorable."

Next to Klaus, Ben furrowed his brows. Slowly, he brought the metal spoon up to his lips and sipped the _Fruit Loops_ flavored milk. His mind roamed within itself, jumping from thought to thought like that of his _brother_ jumping through _time_ and _space_. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up and his spoon fell from his grip, hitting his bowl with a loud clang.

"Connor!"

"_Connor_?" Luther asked incredulously, his hand hovering over Diego's back once more as the latter spluttered unintelligible words, milk spewing past his closed lips. "You're _surely_ not saying—"

Ben nodded, his fingers twitching against the wooden table. The silk fabric of his night shirt dampened considerably at the discharged milk that lingered on the wood, but he ignored it, still deep in thought. "Or, perhaps, Ethan?"

"What the _fuck_ are we even talking about right now?" Diego groaned in disbelief, once again cleaning up his disgorged mess. He overlooked Luther's sharp glare at his profane wording. "B-B-Be real-real—"

Allison took his stuttering as a chance to pipe up after shooting him a reassuring smile. The pre-teen missed his grateful look as the words died in his throat and she shook her head in disagreement, her curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did so.

"I don't think those names _fit_ him. No offense, Ben." She added at his disappointed expression. She tilted her head towards Vanya's shrunken form in front of her and widened her eyes. "But, if anyone knows more than us, it's Vanya. I mean, you were closer to him than the rest of us."

"I don't know. . ." She mumbled, training her eyes on that of her bunny slippers beneath the table, lying carelessly against the _cold_ tile floor. Inside, she shriveled up at the sudden attention directed her way, eyes coming at every angle. It was embarrassing, and never had they _ever_ put so much focus on her, especially never at once. After all, she was the _oddball_ out— the black sheep of the family. Why did they suddenly care so much about _her_ opinions?

"Cooome ooon!" Klaus drawled out, squirming almost anxiously— _or was it impatiently?_— in his seat. "You were, like, his best friend! You _have_ to know what he'd want his name to be!"

"It's alright, Klaus." Allison sighed disappointedly and leaned her head against her arm in a gloomy manner. All of sudden, staring at the discouraged faces of her siblings, and Allison's annoying batting eyelashes, Vanya _wished_ her sister would've just used her power to get it out of her. This was just manipulation!

"Fine!" Vanya huffed and screwed up her face. Luckily, this was all hidden by her obnoxiously long bangs. They were not, however, long enough to miss the immediate disappearance of Allison's glum look. Instead, it was replaced with a look of triumph. "I asked him this once, too, before he left. He said the names were. . ." She paused, flushing. "trivial, and he didn't care to partake in them. But, I did once catch him reading a book—"

"Get to the name part!" Klaus said hastily, rubbing the fabric of his skirt between his nimble fingers enthusiastically.

Vanya rolled her eyes and shot him a glare before continuing. "It was a name book. He had the name '_Alexander'_ highlighted, so I think. . . if he was here, he'd favor that one."

The reactions of her surrounding family were instantaneous, but before anyone could utter a single word, Allison soared out of her seat, her waist knocking into the table, sloshing bits of her orange juice onto the previously clean wood. Vanya couldn't help but thinking that perhaps they needed a new table, particularly after all of the liquid that had surely seeped into the dark timber. The remaining siblings sat quietly as they listened to their sister dash up the stairs hurriedly, quite obviously throwing her bedroom door open as they heard it slam against the wall in haste. For a few moments, everything was silent. That was until the girl raced down the stairs and back into the kitchen, clutching a crafting kit close to her chest as she returned to her seat. They tried to ignore the way her breath came out in large pants, as it was unbecoming of a superhero to be winded just from a flight of stairs. Instead, they opted to stare curiously at the clear kit she had slammed onto the table.

"I-I heard these girls at the park the other day—" She spoke swiftly, rummaging through the kit, pulling out colorful beads, some with letters, and clear string. "They were talking of. . . friendship bracelets?" The statement came out as a question rather than something telling. "I'm not sure, but it's supposed to represent their closeness! And, like, we could make some for all of us," she gestured around the table. "and Five! I think the back could have our number, y'know, and the front could have our names!"

No one could object before the beads and string were suddenly thrust in front of them, with Allison shoving their food aside carelessly. With the help of Mother, the children were finished with their bracelets within the next hour. No one said a word as the six of them pondered out of the kitchen and into the living room, coming to a stop in front of the large portrait of their lost sibling that hung perfectly over the fireplace.

"I-" Ben squeaked and stepped forward as Allison reached up to place the bracelet onto the corner of the frame. They all turned to him expectantly, but Allison seemed to read his emotions rather quickly, as she had already grasped his hand, turning it over to his palm to place the flimsy bracelet in his grasp. She gave him an encouraging smile, and he swallowed uneasily before turning back to the portrait. "Thanks." He mumbled, standing on the tips of his toes to reach the frame. With one swift jump, the bracelet now hung loosely onto the corner of the structure.

The six of them stood still, marveling at the sight of the rainbow bracelet draped over their brother's portrait— a bracelet so similar to the ones clinging to their thin wrists. Turning away, they all dispersed, yet their minds lingered on the name '_Alexander'_ that stood visible amongst his portrait.

And, many years into the future, Five would stand amongst their deceased, fallen bodies in anguish, dirt covering his tear-streaked cheeks. Though, this time, the only thing standing visible was the spilt blood that sprayed sloppily over the ground. Had he looked a little closer, he would have noticed one thing stood out amongst the rubble— a rainbow-colored bracelet reading the name '_Five'_.

Pitifully, the six of them would notice the discarded bracelet as they bounced about the afterlife, and, heartbreakingly they'd note the way the lettering of the name '_Alexander'_ had worn off. Perhaps Five Hargreeves was never meant for such trivial things.

Perhaps Five Hargreeves was simply to be known as such- Five Hargreeves, _brother_, _murderer_.


End file.
